Friday, 14 December 2007

My Ancestors

I have just been reading Martin's posting and admiring the very beautiful photo of his grandmother. This has inspired me. So, instead of Maalie in his underpants, I will print some pictures of some of my ancestors.

This is my Grandma Gertrude. She died just before I was born. She was my Mum's mum.I was very nearly called Gertrude after her, but Mum objected strongly and they all settled on my middle name being the same as Grandmother's which is why my middle name is 'the'.

The fine handsome fellow on the back row on the left is my Grandfather Tom. I do remember him, just, and was scared of him because he had a moustache. My Mum said he loved me very much and called me his 'piece of Dresden China'. Isn't that nice? The guy next to him is his brother Bob and the fierce looking couple in front are my Great Grandparents.

This is Grandma Gladys, Grandpa Jimmy and my father Allan ...

This is Grandma Gladys and my father ...

And this is Great Grandpa John Thomas, Grandpa Jimmy, Allan my father and the little chap clutching his John Thomas is my Uncle Bernard, commonly known as 'Bunny'.

This is a photo of Grandma Gladys with George on their wedding day staring soppily at each other. My poor Grandpa Jimmy died tragically when he was 49 and George stepped smartly in to fill the gap left in all their lives. Well, not that smartly actually. It took a coupla years.

Gosh you're amazing Lorenzo. I'm glad you have an obscure middle name like 'the,' them's the best ones. You're a pretty dab hand with the scanner there too!

How can I describe what it is that makes me love your posts? Sometimes when I have read them I just want to give you a hug - you make a girl feel all warm-fuzzy inside! You have a marvellous way of look at the world, and I love it!

PS - an XBox is like a computer that is built so that a person can play video games on their tv. But it doesn't do email or blogs or anything. Just amazing games.

Thanks for the nice comments! Perhaps I should talk more about Foxy and Mabel.

Thanks JLS for lovely comments! Actually Maalie says my scanning is rubbish as I don't crop the bits off properly. I think also the scanner fairy moves the photo when I have placed it in the scanner and so the photo comes out lopsided.

Maalie is in Ireland at the moment with Big Dave. I had a text from him last night when he was obviously ratted. This morning when I text him he just replied 'shhhh .. my head'.

Love to join your anti-moustache club Mags. Will it help me get extra marks with Thess's quiz?

I think that sounds like a sensible approach father ann, I haven't sat next to a llama drinking coffe as I have the advantage of being on the other side of the world. I can say what I like from over here ;-)

Oh! PS - I have recruited a couple of non-blogging friends for Word Imperfect, even though I've been absent from that site for a while. Tomtom makes an appearance now and again - he works with me, and one of my best friends (mad like me) is 'sempre'Quidnunc is her first attempt ;-)

Actually, at work Tomtom is sometimes called Tom-the-Llama. TRUE! But he changed for Word Imp so that you could keep your originality Lorenzo.

Actually I gather they often looked fierce in photos in the old days because they had to keep very very still for quite a while. So someone told me. Maalie... don't even pretend you went to watch birds or something noble in Ireland..... everyone who goes to Galway goes to get a sore head. My favourite photos are the two at the end... so wonderfully genuine as I have come to expect from you llama dear.

Aha, I'm gonna have to weigh in with the moustache bit. You will not have discovered a more ardent opposer of the hirsute upper lip than myself. However, nice old photos which display the difference in people from yesteryear. I think they were frightened of cameras and their austere expressions as a result make everybody look scary and forboding.Maalie; I know that, like policemen(allegedly) birders are never off duty. Drinking is just a necessary relaxation technique to come down from the intense excitement of a day out in the field(s). All power to your bent elbow as you digest the day's sightings.

Ya know, Lorenzo, Foxy and your Auntie Mabel remind me of some people I have seen before somewhere, can't think where it was though. Possibly at the penny arcade on Blackpool Pier? Maybe on holiday at Butlins? Or was it at the rug-hooking convention in Vegas.... ? Dammit....

Love the piccies, and the words. However, I didn't realise we were related, I am also John Thomas and have always hated my parents for that; everytime I tell anyone my name they start sniggering, they know better than to say anything but it doesn't stop them sniggering...

Hi Lorenzo - not plastic plastic sheets silly, I mean one of those polyester manufactured fibre continental quilt outfits. It goes over my sheets to sort of keep me warm, but not hot like the feather duvet.Plus my Mum (kiwi mother) gave me a 500 thread-count queen sized egyptian cotton sheet set for Christmas a couple of years ago. Bliss.

Hi, my cousin in Mumbles is John Hunter, he is from the North East originally.I am from Bolton and have been in Canada over 30 yearsI like your old family pics, I have a longterm project to copy all our old photos and send a copy CD or DVD to everyone in the family

My Ancestors (copied your spelling Lorenzo) are still on the trees and i sincerely hope to join them soon.i am very disappointed with human race Lorenzo. No No No i am not God speaking. i really wonder if God is disappointed with us, with the whole world thinking that they are right. Adam and Eve let Him down on day one, day 2 ??? within a month perhaps, So there can't be any high expectations from us.

It's Christmas Day here in Canada, the sky is grey, and the sun is hiding behind the clouds. It's cold and there are remnants of last weeks snowstorm still on the ground, making it a rather muddy white Christmas. But it's a lovely day, and I wish you and your family all the best, and may 2008 be a good year for you.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas LorenzoWish you a very happy new year and wish you and your family all the joy and health in the world, wish you more travels and more education and knowledge (is that insulting Lorenzo ?) For me travel is education.

I am on the internet because I have been downloading lots of songs by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood to make up an album for mum. It's playing in the stereo now. Might have to make another CD for myself... :-)

Stace tells me Plumpy is doing alright but it will be another week before I see him again. I hope he's skinny. Might let him spend the night with me when I get back. How's Scaredy?